Tamil film producers move to HC seeking a ban on film reviews for three days after release

In November, the Tamil Nadu Producers Council (TNPC) issued a statement on their social media, asking theatre owners to ban YouTubers from recording film reviews soon after its release. The statement came as the association believes that these reviews are the reason for the poor box office performance of recent Tamil releases like Kanguva, India 2, and Vettaiyan.

Now, the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) has filed a writ petition, through its counsel Vijayan Subramanian, to the Madras High Court, seeking a ban on movie reviews for three days after its release on all media platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

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The association has also requested the Central and State government to create guidlines for the critics to follow once the film is released. The petition will be heard by Justice S. Sounthar on Tuesday, December 3.

On November 20, the TNPC issued a four page long statement that asked critics to stop the harsh reviews of films. “Our association strongly condemns the recent trend of personal attacks and incitement of violence under the guise of film reviews,” the statement began.

They also stated that critics have every right to review films, but journalists should be careful about what they write. "We urge journalists to review films but should ensure that hatred towards a film should not be sown in the media because of personal malice.”

Siva directorial Kanguva, starring Suriya, had a disasterous box office collection. On opening day, the film managed to get Rs 22 crore worldwide collection. As of today, the total collection stands at Rs 105 crore against a mega budget of Rs 350 crore. The film has received negative reviews since its release.